Pew Survey: 55% of Americans Have Received Major Entitlements

A 55 percent majority of American citizens have received payments from the biggest government entitlement programs at some point in their lives, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of 2,511 adults.

Those programs include unemployment compensation, Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, Medicaid and welfare.

If veterans benefits and college loans and grants are included, the total rises to more than 70 percent.

Unemployment benefits are the program that has served the most survey participants — 27 percent — followed by Social Security at 26 percent.

Broken down by income, among those making less than $30,000 a year, 70 percent said they have received government aid at some point, while among those with incomes of $100,000 or more, it’s 39 percent.

As for political party affiliation, 60 percent of the Democrat respondents have utilized a major entitlement program, compared with 52 percent of the Republican respondents.

Democrats make up more of the recipients of poverty or jobless assistance. But for programs aiding the elderly, such as Social Security and Medicare, it’s even.

When it comes to ideology, 57 percent of conservatives have received entitlement benefits, compared with 53 percent of liberals and 53 percent of moderates.

A 55 percent majority of American citizens have received payments from the biggest government entitlement programs at some point in their lives, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of 2,511 adults.